when to upgade

[xseabee]

ok I havent been riding long,about 2 months,I have a 2003 honda shadow ace 750, I just seemslike I'm looking for a sixth gear and it doesnt have one. I want t get up on the highway to go to work instead of taking the back streets but i just dont fell comfortable just going 55 mph I know the bike will go faster but it feels like I'm giving it alls it got.Should I upgrade to a biger bike or just get more experience on this one?

[jonnythan]

What RPMs are you pulling at 55 in 5th?

[xseabee]

What RPMs are you pulling at 55 in 5th?

I dont know dont have a tach.

[jonnythan]

Is the engine revving high at 55?

I have a little 535 V-twin and it's perfectly comfortable at 70 on the highway.

Actually, if I'm in 5th at 55, it almost lugs a bit. 5th gear is for sitting in low RPMs at high speeds. Engines don't produce a lot of HP at low RPMs. That could explain why you feel your bike has no power at 55 mph. You should be in a lower gear to accelerate, not a higher gear.

[xseabee]

where are you located in upstate I grew up arund Utica?

[jonnythan]

where are you located in upstate I grew up arund Utica?

Albany region.

Weather is awful right now. Sleet and ice and snow all day today

[RideYourRide]

ok I havent been riding long,about 2 months,I have a 2003 honda shadow ace 750, I just seemslike I'm looking for a sixth gear and it doesnt have one. I want t get up on the highway to go to work instead of taking the back streets but i just dont fell comfortable just going 55 mph I know the bike will go faster but it feels like I'm giving it alls it got.Should I upgrade to a biger bike or just get more experience on this one?

Let it spin, I doubt it's going to blow up on you or anything. Bikes aren't trucks, the factory does not expect you to ride around at 1500 rpm all the time. Granted the motor in your machine isn't a sport bike motor, but I wouldn't worry about it blowing apart riding at reasonable highway speeds.

Actually...do you ever shift at high rpm? Perhaps you're used to cruising at low rpm and you think the bike is working harder then it really is at 55 or 60 mph. Go out and put some mustard on it, bang it off the limiter a few times if need be and then compare what maximum rpm for that machine sounds like compared to what you are cruising up the highway on. I bet you got more headroom left then you think you do.

[jonnythan]

In other words, don't be afraid to downshift and rev the engine a little high. That's where the power is and you won't hurt your engine.

[intotherain]

Meh its alright. I've been riding highways for about 7 months and my time on the highways arent fun. I duck hardcore and my arms are tucked in. My bike tops out at about 65MPH at 8300/8500 RPM. Now thats with no head wind... I don't think theres anything wrong with my engine from being so close to redline all the time but I take pretty good care of my bike; I give her frequent oil changes and chain washes.

About the new bike, two months isn't too much. When I passed the two month mark I thought I was pretty advanced but now I think about how much of a dam beginner I was. I think I am pretty advanced now but I know in a couple months I will look back and think of my self as a beginner still.

Anyways, two months is better than nothing and if you really want a new bike I'd say go for it. There are people out there who buy R1s and R6s as their first bike with no experience... but atleast you got yourself two months and you are probably much better off than any of them are.

[jonnythan]

Meh its alright. I've been riding highways for about 7 months and my time on the highways arent fun. I duck hardcore and my arms are tucked in. My bike tops out at about 65MPH at 8300/8500 RPM.

What kind of bike do you have? Rebel 250 or something?